Role Playing & Gaming in BG

[Keraptisdm]

This discussion has been coming up in other topics, so I decided to make a thread for us to continue the discussions. It seems that many of us came from a PnP AD&D background, and Baldurs Gate was one of our first CRPG based on the AD&D rules. Let's allow the inclusion of IWD in the discussion too. [img]smile.gif[/img]

Are you more of a Role Player or Gamer, and why?
For instance will you have or not have your character do something, even though the game allows it? Good with Evil parties? Do you immerse yourself in the story/plot line, or do you simply want to finish the game?

Please, no flaming anyone for their gaming styles. And even if a similar thread ran a while back, there are many newer members (myself included) that enjoy discussing the games so please indulge us. Thanks.

[I wish my name was Baggins]

Personally I believe that if you do not get into the roleplaying aspect of the game then you are not grasping the entirety of the game in your hands...After all if all you want to do is roll through the Sword Coast like a stampede of cattle then why not play Doom or some other first person shooter? Not that there is anything wrong with shooters but it seems to me that ignoring the roleplay aspect of BG is like building a mansion and living in one room.

[Telchar of Nogrod]

Yea, I'm an old RP. Most of us are playing BG because we like sword and sorcery. Completing the game is a must; but, I'm kinda let down and I'm siked to do it differently next time. We all have our favorite books and authors and I try to develop characters based on them. Sometimes we have our own ideas on how our heroes should be. Let your imagination be your guide. Trust your imagination. Bottom line, have fun!

So, in conclusion....I think I'm a RP.

[Cerek the Barbaric]

Great Topic, Keraptisdm.

I definitely enjoy the RolePlaying aspect of Baldur's Gate. I bought my first PC from my college roommate. It came with Duke Nuke'em, Doom, and Doom II pre-loaded. I played those games a lot....until I got Baldur's Gate. I haven't even looked at them since.

I DO play my BG character the same way I would play a Pnp character. In fact, "Cerek" was my most successful Pnp character. He was a barbarian that I finally quit playing when he reached 28th level.

In my first run through BG, I re-created him as a fighter (no barbarian option, grrr). To give you an idea of my roleplaying aspect, I ended up killing Minsc the first time I met him. I had taken a long time to get down to Nashkell and Jaheira kept griping at me. So, we finally get to town and head for the mines, only to have some guy ask if I could run off and help rescue his "witch". Cerek (being a barbarian) doesn't like mages to begin with, plus I was pressed for time...so I told him I didn't have time for it. He went beserk and attacked - NEVER a good idea when Cerek is involved. The party jumped on him and killed him.

When I imported Cerek to BG2, I was delighted to see the Wizard Slayer kit - that fit Cerek's personality MUCH better than a straight barbarian. The class is also dang powerful, especially when you hit the mid-teen levels and start getting some good Magic Resistance (2%/level) [img]graemlins/thumbsup.gif[/img] .

Just as a sidebar note - I DID pick up Dynaheir later in the game and had NO PROBLEMS, even though Minsc was nowhere to be seen.

On my second trip through BG, I've created an elven ranger (my overall favorite class). So, yes, I definitely enjoy the roleplaying more than the hacking and slashing.

[ryaldin]

I too enjoy the roleplaying. I must admit, that sometimes, i feel like i'm cheating, or powergaming, simply because i like to explore the whole map, and look aroung everywhere. If i were an adventurer, that's what i'd want to do, but i don't know if the pc in bg is really an adventurer. I know that he's whatever you choose to make him/her, but it seems like he'd be pretty focused on the overall storyline, and wouldn't really want to bother all that much with petty sidequests and such (depending on alignment of course). My personal favorite class is the ranger class, although i think that rangers should be allowed more that the two proficiencies that they are given. I think that it should be possible for rangers to get up to at least the mastery level with long swords and long bows. Oh, and i wish i could play a game as a dwarven ranger. that's be awesome. But all wishing aside, bg is the coolest game ever. "Like, for sure, dude."

[Keraptisdm]

I tend to really immerse myself in the role playing. Unless I'm on a timed quest (where someone has been poisoned) I explore the entire map. My character's logic is "Don't leave an enemy in your rear". My paladin will NEVER have an evil person in her party. This really hampers me in BG SoA, because there are no decent, good clerics with an 18 Wisdom. Nor will she perform any of the, what I call, thief type quests. Sure I miss out on some experience points, but I just feel that it goes against her principles. Even though the amount of time I can game is limited, I try not to use cheats or "computer glitch" tactics (fake talk). I'll barge on in a space, get the snot beat out of me, reload a previous save and try again. Keep in mind, I don't have a problem with anyone that uses the cheat codes or fake talk strategy. That's their choice, and if they're having fun, more power to them.

Anyone ever wonder what happened in BG to these spells from PnP AD&D?
Gust of Wind, Rope Trick, Phantasmal Force.
Can you think of any others?

Lastly, kudos to the game designers of BG, IWD, BG2 and IWD2 for making such great CRPGs.

Oh NO!! I now have the creepy looking dude for my avatar!

[ 09-24-2002, 01:41 PM: Message edited by: Keraptisdm ]

[badet]

ryaldin
hm?
In bg2 your elven ranger can get 5+@longbow?

[I wish my name was Baggins]

Hey Krep...War the Creepy looking dude...By the way if anyone has a line on what that avatar is then I would be grateful for the info.

I am really impressed here with the thoughful nature of the answers to this question. Telchar said that we base our characters on our imaginations which are fueled by the books that we read. I agree with this wholeheartedly which means that I look at things a little differently than Cerek does. Cerek says that he does not allow evil characters in his party...And there is nothing wrong with that...but some of my favorite books are the LOTR trilogy and the Dragonlance Trilogy and both of these have partys that are a mixture of good and evil in them...Frodo, Sam and Gollum in the LOTR and Sturm and Raist in Dragonlance...This is why I have no problem adventuring around the Sword Coast with an evil party memeber like Xzar. Personally I think that in my mind it adds to my enjoyment of the roleplay because I can think of who trusts whom in the party and it still gives my party someone who can be a bad influence on my Chaotic good thief allowing me to do some of the more shady quests. Just my thoughts on the matter.

[Keraptisdm]

Originally posted by I wish my name was Baggins: Hey Krep...War the Creepy looking dude...By the way if anyone has a line on what that avatar is then I would be grateful for the info. I am really impressed here with the thoughful nature of the answers to this question. Telchar said that we base our characters on our imaginations which are fueled by the books that we read. I agree with this wholeheartedly which means that I look at things a little differently than Cerek does. Cerek says that he does not allow evil characters in his party...And there is nothing wrong with that...but some of my favorite books are the LOTR trilogy and the Dragonlance Trilogy and both of these have partys that are a mixture of good and evil in them...Frodo, Sam and Gollum in the LOTR and Sturm and Raist in Dragonlance...This is why I have no problem adventuring around the Sword Coast with an evil party memeber like Xzar. Personally I think that in my mind it adds to my enjoyment of the roleplay because I can think of who trusts whom in the party and it still gives my party someone who can be a bad influence on my Chaotic good thief allowing me to do some of the more shady quests. Just my thoughts on the matter.

What a great point Mr. Baggins. One can imagine the party intrigue during a rest, when the Assassin has the late night watch! Or, is that thief trying to pick my pocket? Why is that mage so secretive? Good and Evil may become allies when they have a common enemy, but when that enemy is gone....
The great thing about the game is that you can create different types of characters and develop them differently. My Paladin won't have anyone evil in her party, period. But my Undead Hunter has no such moral plateaus and is even romancing Viconia! Same game, but the role playing is completely different. If only I had more time to devote to playing the games, I'd try all kinds of differnt character classes. Sigh. [img]graemlins/crying.gif[/img]
Cerek stays true to his class and I really admire the RPGers that stick within their character class. Imagine a barbarian's reaction to being told to go rescue a witch? Ha! My Paladin killed Edwin the first time she met him. Saw him on the bridge, cast detect evil, and killed him. Was that in character? I thought so. Did it cost me a good NPC mage? Yes. Did I loose any reputation? No. Great game.
Let's get Lord Brass to add his comments to this thread.

[I wish my name was Baggins]

I am glad that we see eye to eye Krep because I was worried that some of what I wrote would be taken as my bashing the way others do things which was not my intention in the least. Thanks again for listing such a thought provoking question on the board. Mr. Underhill